Method of repairing and lengthening fingernails



March 15 1937. Y I A. FEIGENBAUM R 2,073,867

METHODQF REPAIRING AND LENGTHENING FINGERNAILS Filed 0 01;. 18, 1955Fig.1

Harriet A. Feig 'enbaum By Ms? Arne/Mrs rattlin is, rear ew OFFICE b H V2.073351 r Mormon? orinsrsmmo AND tano'riinn f m n rmcsnnms ll larriet AFeigenb aum, Minneapolisrllr i i nn. Application was 1a,; 1935, Serialto. 45,560 GClaiins. (01. 132 m My present invention relates to animproved method of lengthening finger nails for. use generally in therepairing offinger nails.

nails that have been broken ofl? or otherwise damaged at theprojecting'end portions, may be restored to normal appearance while the damagednailis growing out; l

A further object of the inventionis the provisionyof a method wherebyfinger nails may be artificiallylengthened without causing discomi 1;,The above and numerous other important ob-I jects andadvantages of .theinvention will be 'made apparent from" the following specification,claimsanddrawingI l l In the accompanying drawingplikecharacters 20indicate like parts throughout the several views.;,,

R ri to the drawingrv it b r Fig: l isa perspective viewof a human handshowing by ,full lines one finger nail with a broken off tip, thebrokenoff tip being shown by dotted 25111165; 3 .w

Fig. 2 isa plan viewof a shield-like former for.

use in carrying out the methodi'i Fig.3 is an'enlarged top viewrofthefinger of Fig. 1, thenail'of which'is broken;

0 Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating thefshieldlike"former of Fig. 2. applied between the projecting end of the broken offfinger nail andthe fingerfl b r Fig, 5 is an'enlarged sectional viewtaken on thellinc 5--5 of Fig. 4;, and showing a further step in themethod; and a Fig. Gis a view similar to 'Fig. 5 but illustrating theshield-like former removed and the artificial tip trimmed to shape.

In the drawing the finger with the broken nail l is indicated by l, thebroken nail by 8, the broken off nail tip by 9, andthe shield-likeformer by H]. Anexample of a preferred method of repairing or restoringto nomai appearance a finger-- nail, the tip portion of which has beenbroken ,off or otherwise damaged or rendered unsightly, willfirstbe'given. Assuming that the finger nail to be repaired has beenbroken ofi, as indicated by full lines in th-edrawing, the first.step'in the" method of restoring the tip consists in applying under theprojecting portion of the broken off fingernail a shield-like former Inlike that shown in Figs. 2, 4, and5. Fig. 4 illustrates this first ,1step in the method. a i 5 The former is of thin material that is easilyportion of the finger nail and underlying portion of the finger, asshown in Figs l and 5, the upl per surface of thejshield-like formerprojects in artificially provided with new tips and thereby .cut toshape and made, to properly fit snugly againstthe finger at thepoint ofjointure thereb of with the finger nail. When the former is ap- [inimportant object of the inventi'onq is th Q provision of an improvedmethod wherebyfingen plied andproperly fittedbetween the projecting l isself -supporting.

The next step in the method consists in applyingover the surfaceofthefinger nail and shield a relatively heavy coat of relatively fastsolidi- I fyinglacquer-like liquid substance, see FigIfi,

that will, when setsorsolidified, have (an appear- ,ance and physicaleharacteristics simulating those of a fingernail. The lacquer likeliquid substance maybe applied in any desired manner r such, -forexample-asby means of afbrush, and

, is preferablyfiowed on in, a quite thick coat or coats so that theridge formed by the edge of the fingernail at the point where itoverlaps theshield-like former will become leveled out substantially asshown in Fig. 5. The number of coats required will depend largelyuponthe conslstency ofthe fiuid substance and; of course,

for the purpose of giving an even surface tothe. recappedand tippedfinger nail an extracoator qcoats may beapplied over the shield only. InI Figs. 5 andfiof the drawing the solidified coating that forms acap'over the nail isindicated by H and thenew tip-which is an integralj partof the cap "is indicated by l2. y

When the lacquer-like substance has solidified, the shield-like formerl0, whichis preferably so smooth and non-absorbent that the .substancewill not tightly adhere thereto, may be removed I and the artificialfinger nail tip may be trimmed by filing or/and cutting to the j desiredshape 40 and length, see Fig. 6. Of course, if desired, the former H1may be left in place and trimmed with the nail but obviously, the mostnatural appearance will be obtained by removing the shield.

A suitable lacquer-like product for use in carrying out the above methodand one suitable also 'for use generally in the repairing of fingernails, may be obtained by dissolving celluloid in acetone and adding tothis lacquer-like liquid base a powdered non-soluble substance, such aschalk. Pure celluloid in solidified form is more transparent than afinger nail and is too soft and flexible for filing, but the suspendednonsoluble substance, such as chalk, gives thejsubstance a translucentappearance muchlike that of a natural finger nail and renders thesolidified lacquer-like substance hard and adaptable to be filed toshape in the manner of a finger nail. Preferably, I saturate thelacquer-like substance with chalk and add a suitable stabilizer,preferably sodium chloride, to the preparation to prevent the chalk orother non-soluble powdered substance from precipitating out of thesolution. The sodium chloride is believed to impart an electrical chargeto the chalk particles which is responsible for keepinga relativelylarge amount of chalk in suspension.

Whereas celluloid dissolved in acetone has been found very satisfactoryas a base for the preparation and has been given as a preferred example,it should be understood that various other lacquer-like or lacquersubstances may be successfully substituted therefor. Among thesesuitable substitutes are shellac dissolved in alcohol, various otherfast drying lacquers, various fast drying nitrocellulose solutions, andsome forms of commercial nail enamels. Whenchalk and sodium chloride areadded to these lacquers or lacquer-like bases and allowed to solidify, aproduct closely simulating that of a finger nail in appearance andphysical characteristics will be produced.

A most highly satisfactory preparation is usually obtained when thepowdered non-soluble substance, preferably chalk, and the suitablestabilizer, preferably sodium chloride, are each added to'thelacquer-like fluid to the point of saturation. I V

A suitable shield-like former may be made from suitable paper or fromthin and soft sheet metal or metal foil.

What I claim is:' Y 1. The method of lengthening finger nails whichcomprises applying a former under the projecting end of the finger nailso that it projects beyond the end'of the finger nail and its uppersurface is in the plane of the under surface of the finger nail, andthen applying over the finger nail and former a lacquer-like substancewhich, when it sets, will adhere to the finger nail and have appearanceand physical characteristics simulating those of a finger nail.

2. The method of lengthening finger nails which comprises applying 'aformer under the projecting end .of the finger nail so that it projectsbeyond the end of the finger nail and its upper surface. is in thefplaneof the under surface of the fingernail, then applying over the fingernail and former a lacquer-likesubstance which, when it sets, will adhereto the finger nail and have appearance and physical characteristicssimulating those of a finger nail, and thereafter trimming theprojecting end portion of the solidified lacquer-like substance toobtain a desired shape.

3. The method of lengthening finger nails which comprises applying aformer under the projecting end of the finger nail so that it projectsbeyond the end of the finger nail and its upper surface is in the planeof the under surface of the finger nail, then aplying over the fingernail and former a lacquer-like substance which, when it sets, willadhere to the finger nail and have appearance and physicalcharacteristics simulating those of a finger nail, and thereafterremoving the former.

4. The method of lengthening finger nails which comprises applying aformer under the projecting end of the finger nail so that it projectsbeyond the'end of the finger nail and its upper surface is in the planeof the under surface of the finger nail, then applying over the fingernail and former a lacquer-like substance, which, when it sets, willadhere to the finger nail and have appearance and physicalcharacteristics .simulating those of a finger nail, thereafter removingthe former, and finally trimming the extended end portion of thesolidified lacquerlike substance to a desired shape and length by filingand/or cutting.

5. The method of lengthening finger nails which comprises applying aformer under the projecting end of the finger nail so that it projectsbeyond the end of the finger nail and its upper surface is in the planeof the under surface of the finger nail, then applying over the fingernail and former a lacquer-like substance which, when it sets, willadhere to the finger nail and have appearance and physicalcharacteristics simulating those of a finger nail, and thereaftertrimming theextended portions of the super-imposed solidifiedlacquer-like substance and former to desired shape and length.

6. The method of lengthening finger nails which comprises applying aformer under the projecting end of the finger nail so that it projectsbeyond the end of the finger nail and its upper surface is in the planeof the under surface of the finger nail, then applying over the fingernail and former a lacquer-like substance which, when it sets, willadhere to the finger nail and have appearance and physicalcharacteristics simulating those of a finger nail, and permitting filingof the projected end to shape.

HARRIET A. FEIGENBAUM.

